Skills tree and combat animations

[chiconspiracy]

Skills tree and combat animations

From my understanding, you will have some choice in the skills tree that will effect your sword techniques.

Will it be possible to make Geralt's attacks a bit more direct and efficient? For example, stabbing the heavily armored man through the eye slit or throat, rather than doing silly slashes against armor (that would utterly ruin a sword edge by the way) with big slashes that take far more time to complete while his friends close on you?

I cringe at the prospect of being forced to use the ultra flashy and very inefficient spinning attacks exclusively, especially in situations where an actual trained killer would finish an enemy far more expediently.

Seriously, even a normal human swordsman with middling skill would despatch his human opponents more efficiently...

 

[Kamei]

This is a fantasy RPG, if you want a real experience wait for KC: D

 

[FrostKaiser]

I don't know if this is the right place to ask this. But does anybody know what adrenaline does in the game?

 

[Mohasz]

Although I know Geralt is supposed to fight acrobatically, it simply looks silly for me when I see spinning attacks when the enemy is right in front of you. I know it would've been difficult to make it so that spinning animations don't trigger when you're too close to enemies, but it's still bothering me a little.

 

[chiconspiracy]

This is a fantasy RPG, if you want a real experience wait for KC: D

A fantasy RPG setting that prides itself on being grounded in a gritty medieval setting..

It's a bit immersion breaking to tell me that he is a highly trained swordsman, yet we see him get hit unnecessarily because he's doing silly spinning slashes so much. I'm pretty sure he's literally been hit in some of the gameplay trailers because he's opening an attack with a silly spinning slash where he could have stabbed a guy, withdrawn and slashed his buddies throat in the same time frame. Even a green around the gills squire would laugh at him for making such an amateur mistake.

 

[Gothfather]

immersion breaking is a catch phrase that honestly just means anything I don't like. Its meaningless from a game development stand point when it is feed back given from fandom. Because it is a phrase that is used for EVERYTHING people want changed. If you don't like it make a choice... suck it up and accept that it is in the game or don't play. Those are your only two options.

 

[chiconspiracy]

immersion breaking is a catch phrase that honestly just means anything I don't like. Its meaningless from a game development stand point when it is feed back given from fandom. Because it is a phrase that is used for EVERYTHING people want changed. If you don't like it make a choice... suck it up and accept that it is in the game or don't play. Those are your only two options.

That's why I'm asking whether the moveset can be altered by our choice in the skill tree.. I'm not demanding that the developers do anything.. By your logic, this forum, and all questions to the developers shouldn't exist. They either need to accept the game as is or "don't play."

 

[Tzirael]

The thing is, Witcher combat style is supposed to be flashy. Now it's unpractical for normal humans, but for mutants with superhuman speed and reflexes the flashiness is an advantage and will likely instill terror in those who see their handiwork. They are fast enough to be flashy while still being effective and able to counter traditional combat strikes.

 

[Talabriga]

Skallagrim is one of my favorites YT but in games where fantasy is a heavy theme the priority should be having a fun combat, not really realism. For realism I would recommend War of Roses and not really TW 3.

 

[Garrison72]

I'll be honest here when I say I was expecting greater animation variety compared to TW2, but I'm not seeing it. TW2, at the very least, gives the illusion of far greater animation variety. TW3 to me still looks repetitive.

 

[Asmodean778]

Seeing as we're talking "realism, and efficiency" here. I love how so many people are sword aficionados. Like they have first-hand, period experience on how people wielded swords in combat back in those times lol. All anyone can do is speculate. Unless you're either immortal, or a time traveler (?).

People do a lot of things differently now, than they did back in those times, I would imagine. But, yeah, I'll join in for fun : )

Under the bases that the said swordsman is in fact a blademaster. And also that there are many, many sword techniques. Based on various styles, to accentuate a wielder's strengths, and to account for their weaknesses.

Directly related to the 'fancy' movements. To my understanding. A lot of those "fancy moves", were in fact to gather momentum for much stronger attacks(especially important versus armored foes, I would imagine), and to keep your weapon moving quickly to keep your foe guessing where you'll strike next.. : )

Obviously it's situational. And unless your playing on an easier difficulty.. I'd imagine if you go mindlessly whirling your sword about in-game, you'll get into trouble fairly quickly. Without parrying, and timing your attacks, etc. (I would hope)

Also, your basing what the most efficient method of countering somebody in bladed combat is. Based on a youtube video of two idiots standing still lol.

 

[onionshavelayers]

I'm still looking for the full pirouette dodges that I saw in the 2014 footage, I know Momo confirmed it but I still haven't seen it in the recent footage and now I worried, borderline butthurt.

 

[Kamei]

I'm still looking for the full pirouette dodges that I saw in the 2014 footage, I know Momo confirmed it but I still haven't seen it in the recent footage and now I worried, borderline butthurt.

There is a Gif of it of recent footage if i remember well.

 

[thislsmadness]

If you cringe at the thought of "flashy" combat moves then you're playing the wrong game, its just that simple. The combat is made to be flashy, fast, and fun. This is also why Geralt can cut through armor as easily as flesh and send heads flying in gravity defying ways. This isn't a medieval combat simulator and it was never intended to be such.

 

[chiconspiracy]

If you cringe at the thought of "flashy" combat moves then you're playing the wrong game, its just that simple. The combat is made to be flashy, fast, and fun. This is also why Geralt can cut through armor as easily as flesh and send heads flying in gravity defying ways. This isn't a medieval combat simulator and it was never intended to be such.

I should specify, It's not the fact that it's flashy in general that annoys me, but when he performs a flashy technique at a completely inappropriate time and gets hit by a half drunk bandit, which is visible in several of the gameplay previews.

In the books they use the sweeping, flashy attacks when possible, but there are also plenty of times where he just stabbed a guy... I don't remember a single time in the series where an enemy is standing dangerously close to Geralt, and he decides the best way to open would be to turn all the way around in a highly readable sweeping attack.

Also, Geralt doesn't cut armor as easily as flesh. As is clearly shown in the combat previews, it takes several slashes to cut through chainmailed and even leather clad enemies. With the strength required to do that, he could just stab through his enemies like tissue paper.

 

[thislsmadness]

I should specify, I understand that witchers are far stronger than normal humans, and they are able to use flashy fighting styles more effectively because of that. However, in the books there are plenty of times where he simply stabs a guy in front of him, rather than opening an attack with an exaggerating spinning animation...

I'm not even referring to the book's lore, I'm referring to game's design. This is an action combat system that makes no effort to adhere to realism, so looking for ways to avoid silly slashes against armor and inefficient spinning is not going to happen. In fact, the types of skills you can unlock are even more flashy and overboard.

 

[chiconspiracy]

Seeing as we're talking "realism, and efficiency" here. I love how so many people are sword aficionados. Like they have first-hand, period experience on how people wielded swords in combat back in those times lol. All anyone can do is speculate. Unless you're either immortal, or a time traveler (?).

People do a lot of things differently now, than they did back in those times, I would imagine. But, yeah, I'll join in for fun : )

Under the bases that the said swordsman is in fact a blademaster. And also that there are many, many sword techniques. Based on various styles, to accentuate a wielder's strengths, and to account for their weaknesses.

Directly related to the 'fancy' movements. To my understanding. A lot of those "fancy moves", were in fact to gather momentum for much stronger attacks(especially important versus armored foes, I would imagine), and to keep your weapon moving quickly to keep your foe guessing where you'll strike next.. : )

Obviously it's situational. And unless your playing on an easier difficulty.. I'd imagine if you go mindlessly whirling your sword about in-game, you'll get into trouble fairly quickly. Without parrying, and timing your attacks, etc. (I would hope)

Also, your basing what the most efficient method of countering somebody in bladed combat is. Based on a youtube video of two idiots standing still lol.

The sword guy they had did a great job on the animations, and there is a place for the fancy spinning jump attack we've seen so much of. My main gripe is that Geralt will throw out the dramatic spinning attack when it's completely inappropriate. For example, he's right next to an opponent with his buddy closing in, and rather than execute a fast attack, he throws out the silly spinning one that exposes his back and is slow enough to get him hit. I'd rather see Geralt stab the first guy, THEN spin out of reach while cutting his friend.

Also we know a fair bit about actual medieval combat based on manuals from the period, and their are groups dedicated to their study.

[video=youtube;mjT4JepA-Vc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjT4JepA-Vc[/video]

---------- Updated at 03:04 AM ----------

I'll be honest here when I say I was expecting greater animation variety compared to TW2, but I'm not seeing it. TW2, at the very least, gives the illusion of far greater animation variety. TW3 to me still looks repetitive.

There are supposedly 90 or so combat animations, so it should be a lot more varied.

 

[Asmodean778]

@chiconspiracy Dunno, man. Play the game better than the people you've been watching in the gameplay videos?. I'd imagine most of them are new to the game, and are spamming the attack buttons. Seeing as most of the current footage is from early-game as well.

I, for one, plan on playing better than that. Providing the game will allow. Gotta wait until we get our hands on it ourselves first. I know as much about the game's combat only as much as anyone else who hasn't played the game yet. We're all hoping it's great.

As far as I'm aware, Geralt doesn't start a series of attacks with fancy flourishes. They happen during the series of attack combos. Hence the button spamming guess.

I know the hype is ridiculously strong with this game(more than I've seen for any game in yeeears, tbh), but I honestly think people are just knit-picking like crazy, because they're getting antsy waiting to play the game lol.

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Edit: speaking about the actual skill trees and combat animations. I'm quite curious which skills directly affect the combat animations for swords, etc. A lot of the ones I've seen (apart from the 'Whirl' one that's like mini group style), just have damage modifiers. Which I think its a bit boring, imo.

 

[chiconspiracy]

This is an action combat system that makes no effort to adhere to realism......

The fact that they actually hired a master swordsman to perform the techniques correctly kindof runs counter to that..

It's not the jumping spin attack that's inherently wrong (it actually has its place in real swordfighting) it's the fact we've seen Geralt OPEN with it over and over again at inappropriate times and get hit by dim witted bandits because of it. We know he has stabs and other less risky moves, it would just be nice if he would employ them more often, especially when the enemy is standing close enough to slap you, and turning your back will get Geralt stabbed.

 

[Killgrow]

I want so badly to play with a sign focus as I prefer a wizard in other games, but the swordplay looks like more fun so far.